Lighter construction



Aug. 2, 1966 J. D. SMITH LIGHTER CONSTRUCTION Filed April 27, 1964 dqMt-s 0 S/W/ 7H BY D 4 2 /0 /o l I is. m i a x MV/WK//M/////A#4E W W United States Patent 3,263,455 LIGHTER CONSTRUtITIQN James D. Smith, troudsburg, Pa., assignor to Ronson Corporation, Woodbridge, N.J., a corporation of New Jersey Filed Apr. 27, 1964, Ser. No. 362,726 12 Claims. (Cl. 67-7.1)

This invention relates to novel structural arrangements for articles of manufacture, and more particularly it concerns improvements to the construction of cigar lighters and their component parts.

According to one feature of the present invention, there is produced a novel cigar lighter characterized by low cost, a smooth unbroken outer finish, ease of manufacture and high strength, sufficient even to accommodate high vapor pressure fuels such as butane gas. These advantages are made possible, according tothe present invention, by means of a novel construction wherein a hollow lighter casing or fuel container comprises a metallic electrodeposit formed about a preshaped plastic core. The electrolytically deposited metal is at least as rigid and as strong as metals produced in conventional manner. Also, the metal automatically assumes even unusual and complex lighter casing shapes while maintaining a smooth unblemished external appearance,

T he present invention makes possible the elimination of all metal cutting, stamping, piecing and fastening operations usually associated with the forming of a completely enclosed receptacle for high pressure fuels. It is also possible, according to the present invention, to provide a composite lighter casing construction wherein the portion of the metal outer casing which forms the lighter fuel container is fully lined with a fuel impervious plastic coating. This is achieved by shaping the plastic core as a thin, hollow shell and leaving it in place within the metal casing after the electroformation processing is completed.

According to a further feature of the present invention, there are provided durable and effective flint striking elements which require less expensive materials and less expensive manufacturing techniques than do conventional striking elements. Such novel flint striking elements may take the form of conventional sparking wheels or any other desired form. These unique striking elements are formed by abrading the surface of a plastic element and then coating the element, including the abraded surface, with a hard metal such as chromium, by an electrolytic deposition technique. The deposited metal thus assumes the contours of the abraded plastic element and provides a hardened flint striking surface without requiring any heavy machining or knurling operations.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will be obvious herefrom or may be learned by practice with the invention, the same being realized and attained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations pointed out in the appended claims.

The foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory, but are not restrictive of the invention.

Of the drawings illustrating by way of example preferred embodiments of the invention:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a lighter embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged elevational view, partially in section, of the embodiment of FIG. 1;

FIGS. 3 to 6 are enlarged fragmentary sections of a portion of a lighter according to the present invention and illustrating the successive steps involved in producing such lighter;

FIG, 7 is a side elevational View of another lighter construction embodying the present invention;

Patented August 2, 1966 FIG. 8 is a cut-away view illustrating the constructional features of the lighter of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 illustrates a sparking wheel constructed according to one aspect of the present invention; and

FIG. 10 represents a sectional view taken along line 10-]l0 of FIG. 9.

The lighter shown in FIG. 1 is similar in overall external configuration to conventional lighters, and comprises the same major elements, including an outer casing 10,

a closure cap 12 and a depressible fingerpiece 14. The outer casing is made up of a fuel container portion 16 and supporting elements 18, which rise vertically from the top thereof. The supporting elements are separated from the fuel container portion by a top wall 20 (shown in dotted line of the fuel container). An axle 22 extends horizontally through the upper portion of the supporting elements 18 and acts as a pivot for the closure cap 12 and a sparking wheel 24 (shown in dotted line).

As shown more clearly in FIG. 2, the inter-relationship between the depressible fingerpiece 14, the closure cap 12 and the sparking wheel 24 of this lighter may be of conventional design, with the fingerpiece 14 having a rack portion 26 which meshes with a pinion 28 attached to the sparking wheel and to the closure cap 12 so that depression of the fingerpiece 14 will cause rotation of the sparking wheel and opening of the closure cap.

A burner valve assembly 30, having a reciprocally movable burner nozzle 32, is mounted on the top wall. The burner nozzle is biased by a spring 34 toward an upper position commensurate with opening of the valve assembly and passage of fuel from within the fuel container portion 16 out through the burner nozzle 32. The valve is automatically shut off when the closure cap is in its closed position as shown. This is accomplished by means of a snufling element 36 within the closure cap which presses down upon the burner nozzle 32 causing it to de press. The snuffing element itself is biased by a further spring 38, somewhat stronger than the burner nozzle spring 34, so that both the burner valve 32 and the closure cap 12 may become completely closed when the fingerpiece is released.

A flint guiding and biasing assembly 40 is also mounted within the lighter casing 10 and protrudes through the top wall 20 of the fuel container portion. This assembly serves to urge a flint element 42 against the peripheral surface of the sparking wheel 26 so that rotation thereof will cause a shower of sparks to be projected across the burner nozzle 32.

An inlet valve assembly 44 is mounted in the lighter casing and projects int-o the lower wall of the fuel container portion.

The lighter shown in FIG. 2 utilizes a high vapor pressure fuel such as butane, which it maintains under liquifying pressure within the fuel container portion 16 of the lighter casing 10. Because of this, the fuel container portion must be of high strength and must be completely sealed.

The cut-away region of the lighter casing illustrates its constructional characteristics. It will be seen that the inner surface of the fuel container portion 16 is of a thinwalled plastic material which forms a liner or coating 46 therein, and which is impervious to the chemical effects of the fuel contained by the lighter. This plastic material also provides complete sealing so as to maintain high pressure within the fuel container. There is provided in intimate contact with the thin plastic coating 46 a main structural metallic layer 48 of copper or nickel which provides rigidity and which maintains the overall shape of the lighter casing under the high internal pressures of the fuel contained therein. Finally, there is provided a hard metallic overlayer 50 such as chrome,

aluminum-nickel or gold. This overlayer acts as a protective coating and at the same time provides a jeweled finished appearance. It will be noted that the lighter of the present invention, while made essentially of metal, possesses no soldered seams or other indication of any piecing together of several parts which invariably characterizes prior lighters. This desirable characteristic is, of course, attributable to the novel constructional feature of the invention wherein the lighter casing is comprised of a metallic electrodeposit formed over a preshaped plastic shell.

It can be seen from FIG. 2 that the entire outer casing 10, including the fuel container portion 16 and the supporting elements 18, is of unitary construction. As shown in FIG. 2, the upper supporting elements 18 are made of plastic material and are formed integrally with the thin plastic liner of the fuel container portion 16 so that electrodeposition of metal thereon will result in a single unitary structure. This also provides rigid support for the sparking wheel axle 22, the depressible finger piece 14 and the closure cap 12.

In manufacturing a lighter having the novel construction of the above described embodiment, there is first provided a plastic core which acts, in a sense, as a mold about which the metallic outer casing is formed. Preferably the core itself is formed as a thin-walled hollow shell so that it may remain within the metallic casing to form a protective inner coating for the fuel container portion. Plastics suitable for such application include, among others, nylon, Delrin, Teflon and polyethylene. Also, where the plastic core is shaped to form integral supporting elements on the outer casing, these may be arranged to have any desired thickness relative to the thickness of the metallic electrodeposit so as to achieve an optimum balance between strength requirements and overall expense of the lighter. The core may be formed by any of several well known techniques, including injection molding and compression molding.

The steps involved in the formation of the metallic electrodeposit about the preshaped plastic core are illustrated in FIGS. 3-6. FIG. 3 represents a section of the plastic core material as it appears after shaping or molding. This plastic material is characterized by a relatively smooth, inert and electrically non-conductive outer surface 52, which resists adhesion to foreign materials and to foreign bodies.

The plastic core is then subjected to a deglazing operation which roughens its surface so as to permit adhesion thereto of certain materials by microscopic mechanical interlock. This deglazing or surface roughening operation may be carried out by an abrasive process such as sand blasting, or be a chemical process such as etching. The extent of surface roughness should be sufficient to permit a certain degree of adherence. However, as indicated above, the electrodeposition process is akin to a casting technique whereby the deposited metal conforms to the shape of the core or form to which it is applied. Thus, if the surface of the plastic material is roughened appreciably, the irregularities produced thereon will be noticeable on the outer surface of the finished outer casing. Furthermore, inasmuch as the outer casing is an integral structure of itself, there is no real need for extreme adhesion to the plastic core; and, even in the case where the core remains within the finished lighter to form an inner liner or coating for the fuel container portion of the casing, the overall configuration is such that the plastic material will be maintained in place irrespective of the degree of surface adhesion it exhibits to the metallic portions of the outer casing. The roughened plastic surface is illustrated in FIG. 4 at 52a.

After the deglazing or surface roughening operation, the plastic core is then sensitized and activated so as to permit the plating thereon of an electrically conductive coating upon which the electrodeposit may be built up. The sensitizing operation is accomplished by dipping the plastic core into a solution which contains an inorganic reducing salt. One such salt is sold by E. I. du Pont de Nemours & Co., Inc., under the trade name, Enplate Sensitizer. This inorganic reducing salt is adsorbed on the roughened plastic surface. After sensitizing, the plastic form is rinsed in cold water and then activated with an acid material which contains a metallic salt. This salt is reduced by the sensitizer material to free metal so that there results a thin metallic film over the surface of the plastic. An example of an activator material suitable for producing such thin metallic film is sold by E. I. du Pont de Nemours & Co., Inc. under the trade name, Enplate Activator 440.

After activation the plastic material is again rinsed in cold water and then subjected to an electroless plating operation which builds up a very thin but highly conductive coating of copper or nickel. This preliminary plating operation involves the placing of the activated plastic form into a solution of an electroless plating material. One example of such material is that sold under the trade name, Enplate CU-400, by E. I. du Pont de Nemours & Co., Inc.

After completion of the electroless plating process the now electrically conducting plastic form is subjected to an electroplating operation wherein the main structural metallic layer 48 of copper or nickel is deposited over the entire surface of the form. This produces the configuration shown in FIG. 5.

Finally, the element is subjected to a further electroplating technique whereby an outer coating of smooth hard material such as gold or chrome is formed over the element to give it a protective and jeweled finish.

Referring now to FIGS. 7 and 8, it will be seen that the technique described above is particularly suitable for producing novel lighter casings having intricate shapes and which may be formed with integral structural elements of unusual design for the mounting of finger piece and ignition elements. It will be appreciated that the present construction makes possible the increased use of plastic materials in connection with lighter construction so as to reduce the cost of such devices. Also, the plastic material may be used relatively close to the actual flame area of the lighter, the metallic deposit serving as a heat barrier to protect the plastic during operation of the lighter.

As indicated above, the structural arrangement of the present invention is produced by what may be described as an inverted molding or casting technique wherein the metallic material conforms itself to the shape of a mold or form, but where, in the present case, the mold is interior to the formed material instead of being exterior thereto as in conventional molding operations. Like conventional molding techniques, however, the final exterior shape of the deposited material in the present invention conforms very closely with the configuration of the internal core or mold. I

This novel concept can be applied, according to the present invention, to the manufacture of flint striking elements and, more particularly, to sparking wheels. A sparking wheel 60 constructed in this manner is shown in FIGS. 9 and 10. Basically, the sparking wheel comprises a plastic disk which may be made of plastic such as nylon or Delrin. The disk is provided with a central opening 62 for a sparking wheel axle and is knurled as at 64 or roughened about its outer periphery. The disk or wheel is then subjected to the electro deposition technique described above in relation to the lighter casing. This produces a metallic outer casing 66. In the case of the sparking wheel it is desired to have a well roughened or knurled finished exterior rather than a smooth finished exterior, and therefore the peripheral surface of the plastic disk is initially subjected to a far greater surface roughening process than that to which the lighter casing was subjected. In this connection it has been found that where the sparking wheel core is made from nylon it is preferable to soak the core in water following a sand blasting operation. This has a tendency to expand the pitted surfaces of the nylon, thus making for a stringy surface which considerably increases the roughness of the finished plated exterior. It will be appreciated that the sparking Wheel of the present invention is less expensive than conventional sparking Wheels from a material standpoint, the bulk of the Wheel comprising rather inexpensive plastic material and only the outer surfaces being of more expensive metals. The present process eliminates the expensive knurling and metal roughening operations which are necessary in the production of conventional sparking Wheels.

Although particular embodiments of the invention are herein disclosed for purposes of explanation, modifications thereof after study of this specification will be apparent to those skilled in the art to which the invention pertains. Reference should accordingly be had to the appended claims in determining the scope of the invention.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A lighter comprising a fuel container formed of a structurally rigid metallic electrodeposit upon a plastic liner, fuel burning means including a fuel passageway interconnecting the interior of said fuel container and a point external thereto, ignition means and ignition actuating means mounted in interoperative relationship above said fuel container for initiating fuel combustion at said external point said ignition means comprising a peripherally abraded plastic sparking element and a metallic electrodeposit thereon.

2. A sparking Wheel comprising a peripherally abraded plastic disk and at least one layer of a structurally rigid and hard metallic material electrodeposited over the outer surface of said disk.

3. A sparking wheel comprising a peripherally abraded plastic wheel and at least one layer of a hard metallic material electrodeposited over the outer surface of said wheel.

4. In a lighter of the type having a fuel container, fuel burning means including a fuel passageway interconnecting the interior of said fuel container and a fuel outlet opening, ignition means having an abraded sparking element and ignition actuating means mounted in operative relationship above said fuel container for initiating fuel combustion, the improvement wherein said container is comprised of a thin, plastic liner, and at least one layer of a structurally rigid metallic material electrodeposited over the outer contours of said plastic liner.

5. In a cigar lighter according to claim 4, the improvement wherein said container is comprised of a thin, preformed plastic liner having intricate contours and said electrodeposit adds strength and rigidity to said plastic for containing pressurized fluid fuel.

6. In a lighter according to claim 4, the improvement comprising a second layer of metallic material such as chrome, aluminum, or gold, deposited as a protective and decorative surface upon said first electrodeposit on said container.

7. In a lighter according to claim 6, said second electrodeposit encasing said container and being a continuous and smooth layer.

8. A sparking element comprising a peripherally abraded plastic core and at least one layer of a structurally rigid and hard metallic material electrodeposited upon the outer surface of said plastic element.

9. A lighter according to claim 1 wherein said sparking element is a Wheel and said layer of electrodeposited metal is characterized by strength and hardness.

10. In a method of making a sparking element of claim 8, the steps including forming the plastic core, roughening the surface thereof, activating said surface, and subjecting said surface to electroless plating and to electrodeposition, the improvement in the step of forming the abraded surface comprising sand blasting the peripheral surface of said core.

11. In a method according to claim 10 the improvement in the step of forming the abraded surface comprising soaking the core in water subsequent to sand blasting to expand the pitted surface.

12. In a method of making a sparking element of claim 8, the steps including forming the plastic core, roughening the surface thereof, activating said surface, and subjecting said surface to electroless plating and to electrodeposition, the improvement in the step of forming the abraded surface comprising a chemical etching process whereby the peripheral surface becomes pitted.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,421,079 5/1947 Narcus 20430 X 2,768,133 10/1956 Lundbye 204-38.2 2,834,724 5/1958 Mendes 20438.2 3,010,856 11/1961 Seelig et a1. 676.l X 3,112,629 12/1963 Van Poppel 677.1 3,154,935 11/1964 Ayres 677.1

EDWARD J. MICHAEL, Primary Examiner. 

1. A LIGHTER COMPRISING A FUEL CONTAINER FORMED OF A STRUCTURALLY RIGID METALLIC ELECTRODEPOSIT UPON A PLASTIC LINER, FUEL BURNING MEANS INCLUDING A FUEL PASSAGEWAY INTERCONNECTING THE INTERIOR OF SAID FUEL CONTAINER AND A POINT EXTERNAL THERETO, IGNITION MEANS AND IGNITION ACTUATING MEANS MOUNTED IN INTEROPERATIVE RELATIONSHIP ABOVE SAID FUEL CONTAINER FOR INITIATING FUEL COMBUSTION AT SAID EXTERNAL POINT SAID IGNITION MEANS COMPRISING A PERIPHERALLY ABRADED PLASTIC SPARKING ELEMENT AND A METALLIC ELECTRODEPOSIT THEREON. 